Platform for use in dental and medical treatment of children



Feb. 18, 1958 M. E. GELLINY 2,823,733

PLATFORM FOR USE IN DENTAL AND MEDICAL TREATMENT OF CHI LDREN Filed Feb. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MILTON E. GELL/N ATTORNEYS I Feb. 18, 1958 E, E N 2,823,733

PLATFORM FOR USE IN DENTAL AND MEDICAL TREATMENT'OF CHILDREN Filed Feb. 4,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iiiiii.

IN VEN TOR.

MILTON E GEL IN ATTORNEYS United States Patent cc PLATFORM FOR USE IN DENTAL AND MEDI- CAL TREATMENT OF CHILDREN This invention relates generally to devices adapted for use in the dental and medical treatment of children.

The dental treatment of physically handicapped children, particularly those afflicted with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and other disorders, is attended with many difficulties, and these difliculties have greatly retarded the efforts of dentists to extend proper dental treatment to such children.

As an aid in overcoming the inherent fear of insecurity in such handicapped chlidren, when seated in a dental chair, I have devised a platform for use in combination with the conventional dental chair, the use of which not only promotes a feeling of security in the child, but enables the dentist to treat the child with much greater facility than would otherwise be possible.

A primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a stabilization platform of the character described, which may be easily attached to a conventional dental chair and easily removed after treatment of the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stabilization platform of the character described, which is adjustable to various angles, so as to accommodate the platform to various conditions, as required by the individual child.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stabilization platform of the character described, having adjustable foot rests against which the feet of the child may be braced during treatment.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a stabilization platform of the character described, which is of simple and durable construction, consisting of a minimum number of easily assembled parts.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, showing portions of a conventional dental chair, with the stabilization platform of the present invention clamped to the foot rest of the chair;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an en larged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the stabilization platform itself, on a somewhat larger scale than in Fig. 1, showing the clamps moved to an inoperative position, and with portions of the platform broken away to better illustrate certain features of construction, and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the stabilization platform, with portions broken away to better illustrate certain features of construction.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the seat 1 of a conventional dental chair, provided with a foot rest or foot platform 2, which extends from the chair, and in a plane substantially parallel with that of the seat 1.

2,823,733 Patented Feb. 18, 1958 The stabilization platform of the present invention is adapted to be mounted on the foot platform 2, and com-' prises a frame and a platform proper. The frame consists of laterally-spaced U-shaped members 3 and 4, which are secured in upright parallel relation with each other by' means of a cross-member 5 which interconnects the base portions of the members 3 and 4 at their mid-points.

The members 3 and 4 are made of tubing, and each is provided with a long arm 6 and a short arm 7. The short arm 7 is provided with vertically spaced pairs of openings 8, 9, 10 and 11, which serve a purpose to be presently described.

The platform proper comprises a substantially flat table 12 of generally rectangular form, and having a. depending flange 13 at the periphery thereof, as well as laterally spaced guideways or slots 14 and 15 extending longitudinally thereof.

Mounted for adjustable movement in the slots 14 and 15 are foot rests 16 provided with bolts 17 which extend through the slots, wingnuts 18 being secured to these bolts for the purpose of clamping the foot rests to the table 12, after the foot rests have been moved to the desired position. Washers 19 are interposed between these wingnuts and the lower surface of the table 12.

The platform is pivotally secured to the arms 6 of the members 3 and 4, as by means of rivets 20 which extend through the arms 6 and flange 13 of the table 12.

Pivotally secured to the flange 13, as by means of rivets 21, are rods 22, which are telescopically movable in the arms 7, for a purpose to be presently described. The rivets 21 extend through elongated slots 23 in the flange 13. The rods-22 are provided adjacent their lower ends with holes 24 which extend diametrically through the rods.

When it is desired to have the platform horizontal, as shown in solid lines in Fig. l, and in Fig. 4, the holes 24 of the rods 22 are aligned with the openings 8 in the arms 7, and bolts 25 are passed through the aligned holes and openings, as shown in Fig. 2, wingnuts 26 being secured to the bolts to maintain the bolts in position.

When it is desired to adjust the table 12 to an angular or inclined position, as shown for example, by the broken lines in Fig. 1, the bolts 25 are removed, and the rods 22 moved downwardly to align the holes 24 with any of the openings 9, 10 or 11, after which the bolts are passed through the aligned holesand openings, and secured in position by the wingnuts 26. The slots 23 in the flange 13 permit the rivets 21 to slide in these slots when the table 12 is moved to an inclined position.

Means have also been provided for clamping the stabilization platform to the foot platform 2 of the dental chair. Such means comprises C-clamps 27, which are pivotally secured, as by rivets 28, to upstanding ears or lugs 29 on the cross-member 5. The clamps 27 are provided with adjustable clamp screws 30 which, when the stabilization platform is clamped to the foot platform 2, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, engage the lower surface of the platform 2. It will be noted that when the stabilization platform is clamped in operative position, the table 12 is substantially coplanar with the seat 1 of the dental chair.

When it is desired to remove the stabilization platform from the platform 2, it is only necessary to loosen the clamp screws 30, and swing the C-clamps 27 to an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the use of the platform, the child is seated on the seat 1 of the dental chair, and its legs are placed on the table 12, the foot rests 16 being moved to a position in which they engage the feet of the child, after which the foot rests are locked or clamped to the table. Leg straps are then placed above and below the knees of the child and are secured to the chair and stabilization plat' 3 form respectively to hold the legs firm. This prevents the child from sliding down. When the handicapped child is thus positioned for dental treatment, it acquires a sense or feelingof comfort and, security, which enables the dentist to-treat the child withv muchgreaterv facility than would otherwise be possible.

By permitting the. table 12 to be moved to variousin clined positions, accommodation is provided for handi.-. capped children who cannot bring their legs to a horizontal position or maintain. them in a horizontal position for extended periods.

' It is thus seen that I have provided a stabilization platform which may be easily attached to a conventional dental chair and easily removed after. treatment, which is adjustable to various angles or inclinations, which is provided with adjustable foot rests, and which is of simple and durable construction, consisting of a minimum num ber of easily assembled parts.

Although the device hasv been described particularly with reference to the dental treatment of handicapped children, it will be readily understood that it may also be used in connection with'the medical treatment of such children, whenever achair similar to a dental chair is used in such medical treatment.

It is to-be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown'and described, is to be taken as a preferred exampleof thesame, and that various changes.

inv the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having .thus. described my invention, I claim:

1. A stabilizationplatform for use in connection with dental chairs and the like, said platform comprising supporting means, a table supported by said means, foot rests adjustable longitudinally of said table, means for clamping the footrests, in adjusted position, to the table,

said table being angularly adjustable relatively to said.

supporting. means, said supporting means comprising spaced upright U-shaped members and across-member interconnecting saidupright members, said table being pivotally connected to one of. the arms of each of said upright members, said table provided with depending rods at points spaced from the pivotal connection of the table to. saidarms, said rods being telescopicallymovable in the other arms of the upright members for the purposeof permitting said angulartadjustment, said table provided with aflange having elongated slots therein, and said rods secured tosaid flangebymeans of pins which. ex? tend through said elongated slots..

2. A platform, as defined in claim 1, in which..saidw supporting means is provided with upstanding lugs or ears, and clamps are provided which are pivotally secured to said lugs.

3. A platform, as defined in claim 2, in which said clamps are provided with adjustable clamp screws.

4. In combination witha-den-tal chair or the like having a seat and a foot platform extending forwardly-of .theseat at a levclsubstantially below that of theseat, a stabilization device comprising a leg platform disposed forwardly of and in close proximity tothe seat and adjustable means for supporting said legplatform onsaid foot platform, means for pivotally connecting said'leg platform to said supporting meanspsaidQleg platform being angularly adjustable relatively to the supporting means and when in a substantially horizontal position being substantially coplanar with said seat, said leg platform: being ..provided .with transversely spaced slots andsseparate'zfootiengaging members which are movable/ independently of each other and are disposed substantially perpendicularly to saidileg platform .and are longitudinally adjustable :along .said slots, means forlocking .the foot engagingmembers in adjusted position, and means for removably'. clamping said. supporting. means to said foot i platform.

References Cited in thefileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 165,932 Johnsen July 27, 1875 478,672" Wilkerson July 12, 1892 1,868,658 Emmert July 26, 1932 2,112,678 Rausch Mar. 29., .1938 2,177,174 E'ccles Oct. 24, 1939-- 2,2'2'5,818 Brooks Dec. 24, 1940 2,278,078 Kahn Mar. 31, 1942. 2,445,048" Wallace July 13, 1948 2,460,148 Roth Jan. 25, 19.49 2,591,911 Block Apr. 28, 1952. 2,604,140 Bursey July 22,. 1952 2,607,646" Westcarnp Aug. 19', 1952 2,609,035 Jones Sept. 2, 1952 2,609,862 Pratt Sept. 9, 1952 2,628,658 Ries Feb. 17,1953 2,696,868 Miller Dec. 14, .1954 2,713,530 Chisholm July 19, 1955 

